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Regional R6 officials report land purchase, utility plans for Central Utah AgriPark; county asked to help recruit producers
Summary
R6 regional council reported an agreement to option about 920 acres north and west of Nephi for the Central Utah AgriPark, saying water access was secured and initial utility hookups are being planned; commissioners were asked to help identify local producers and potential users for processing and distribution sites.
Sean Kerr, director of the R6 regional council, told the Millard County Commission June 3 that R6 has an agreement for roughly 920 acres north and west of Nephi as the planned site for a Central Utah AgriPark intended to bring processing and distribution closer to local agricultural producers.
Kerr said water access was obtained early in the negotiations through a private seller and that R6 holds a five‑year option on water tied to the property. He said R6 is working to bring utilities — power, water, sewer and gas — to the site to make it shovel-ready and to attract private investment for buildings and processors.
“We figured that in this location you’ll draw some of that from the Wasatch front,” Kerr said, and that proximity to rail and freeway access were design goals. He framed the AgriPark’s purpose as helping family farms by providing local processing and distribution so producers do not need to ship out of state.
Kerr outlined early interest from a mix of potential operators, including a wool-wash facility, slaughterhouse operators and an unexpected firm that said it could convert agricultural refuse into carbon‑nanotube product. He cautioned the county that R6 is not planning to build speculative buildings on the site but to prepare utilities and infrastructure to invite private developers.
He said funding so far has included county and state contributions and that R6 has pursued federal grants and private capital; the project had earlier received a state appropriation, but that funding was reduced in the second year while R6 worked to demonstrate spending of the initial funds.
Commissioners asked whether the parcel is private or includes federal/state land; Kerr said the available parcel was freed by a federal exchange and “it checked a lot of the boxes.” He asked commissioners to help identify local producers who might want specific facilities so R6 could recruit appropriate businesses.
No county action was taken at the meeting; commissioners and staff signaled ongoing coordination and follow-up as R6 advances engineering and utility agreements.
